[psych-hr] Syrian human rights defender, Aktham Naisse, winner of 12th Martin Ennals Award

Press release
12 January 2005

Aktham Naisse, President of the Committees for the Defence of Democratic
Liberties and Human Rights in Syria (CDDLHR) is the winner of the 2005
Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders (MEA).

Aktham Naisse is a man who keeps faith in democratic values. Aktham Naisse
embodies the soul of the democratic movement in Syria and has been
involved in this struggle for over 30 years. He is one of the founding
members of the Committees for the Defence of Democratic Liberties and
Human Rights in Syria (CDDLHR), created in 1989, and the publication "Sawt
al-Dimokratiyyah" (the voice of democracy). Many in the Arab world see
this date as the start of the modern human rights movement in Syria.
During all these years Aktham Naisse has written articles and courageously
spoken out in national, regional and international forums. He was arrested
six times for publicly demanding respect for human rights, he was held
incommunicado and even tortured. He is currently not allowed to travel
abroad. A trial against him will resume on 16 January 2005 and he risks 15
years prison.

The Chairman of the Jury of the MEA, Hans Thoolen, called Aktham "an
extraordinary example of a man who has fought for fundamental rights in
spite of constant harassment and threats". He stated that "there was
complete consensus among all eleven human rights organizations on the Jury
that Aktham deserves the award for his long-standing struggle for the
defence of human rights, at the risk of his own health and life". The Jury
also noted the fact that many Arab human rights organisations and the
Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Network support Aktham in his work.

MEA: the main award of the human rights movement. The Martin Ennals Award
for Human Rights Defenders (MEA) is a unique collaboration among eleven of
the world's leading non-governmental human rights organizations to give
protection to human rights defenders worldwide. The Jury is composed of
the following: Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Human Rights
First, International Federation for Human Rights, the International
Commission of Jurists, World Organisation Against Torture, German
Diakonie, International Service for Human Rights, International Alert,
Huridocs and DCI. The previous laureates are: Lida Yusupova, Russia
(2004);  Alirio Uribe Muñoz, Colombia (2003); Jacqueline Moudeina, Chad
(2002); Peace Brigades International (2001); Immaculée Birhaheka, DR Congo
(2000); Natasa Kandic, Yugoslavia (1999); Eyad El Sarraj, Palestine
(1998); Samuel Ruiz García; Mexico (1997); Clement Nwankwo, Nigeria
(1996); Asma Jahangir, Pakistan (1995); Harry Wu, China (1994).

The ceremony will take place in Geneva next September and several
television stations will cover the event. For media contacts and general
information on the MEA, please contact Luis Marreiros, Coordinator. Tel:
+41 22 809 49 25 (marreiros@martinennalsaward.org) or visit our website:
www.martinennalsaward.org



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